1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable assemblies, and more particularly, to flat, flexible, encapsulated cables used to make electrical and/or other connections in industrial equipment, process automation, robotics, medical, aerospace, weapons, and satellite applications.
2. Description of Related Art
A flat cable assembly, also referred to as a ribbon cable, includes encapsulated elements such as conducting wires extending roughly parallel to each other. When the cable assembly is laid flat, the conducting wires extend roughly parallel to each other on roughly a single plane. The conducting wires, which may themselves be insulated, are encapsulated by molding, extrusion or some other process in a plastic sheath. The plastic is typically a silicone, but it can also be a urethane, a polytetrafluoroethylene (sold by Dupont under the trademark Teflon), or a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) depending upon the application. Because the cable assembly is normally made of a flexible material, it can be bent or twisted at any of various points along the length of the cable assembly.
The cable assembly provides for termination of the conducting wires. The terminations may be at a crimp, a solder bucket connection, or to insulation displacement connectors (or IDC connectors) at which the cable assembly is forced onto a row of forked contacts. The conducting wires are usually terminated at both ends of the cable assembly using HDC connectors. However, only one end of the cable assembly may be IDC terminated, with the other end being terminated, for example, at a regular crimp or solder bucket connection.
To conserve space and encapsulation material, the conducting wires in a cable are positioned side-by-side in close proximity to one another. Thus, a fastener cannot be placed through the cable without risking damage to one or more of the conducting wires. Securing the cable assembly to an external object or surface can be achieved using a separate cable clamp or tie that contacts or wraps around the cable assembly at top and bottom edge portions of the cable assembly. Such securing of the cable assembly can also be achieved using one or more separate cable clips, each of which is configured to secure a top or bottom edge portion of the cable assembly to the object or surface.
Cable having a round cross section may also have clamping down issues when it is being used to make connections in various applications. Separate clips or other fastener elements need to be used to permit the use of fasteners for cable management.
Alternatively, separate channels or conduits are provided to support the cables being used and provide for cable management. Such channels or conduits add to the cost of equipment however and can add to the difficulty and complexity of assembly due to the need to run the cables through the channels or conduits.
Another example of a securing mechanism is disclosed in Gallant et al., “Securing Electrical Conductors,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,977,055, Dec. 20, 2005, which is herein incorporated by reference. Gallant et al. discloses fastener elements that are arranged and constructed to engage a further set of mating fastener elements provided on a supporting surface. The fastener elements are used to secure a cable or flexible circuit board to the supporting surface. As disclosed in Gallant et al., the fastener elements can be loop-engageable fasteners and/or loops.
As such, there is a need for a cable assembly which can be secured to an object or surface without using separate clips or clamps that wrap around or contact top and/or bottom edge portions of the cable assembly and in most cases without requiring mating fastener elements to be provided on the object or surface. There is also a need for a cable assembly which may allow for the elimination of separate channels or conduits used for cable management.